Boot for football club boss who ‘attacked’ Scooby Blue mascot
FOR 15 years he has been a muchloved football club mascot. Scooby Blue has delighted legions of young fans of Stranraer FC with his pre-match antics. But now he has been involved in a row which led to the sacking of longterm chairman of the League 1 team. Alex Connor was removed last week after an incident before a home game involving the side earlier this month. It is thought Mr Connor took excepshouting tion to the mascot – based on popular cartoon character Scooby Doo – being in the club lounge minutes after The Blues’ game against Airdrie had started at Stair Park. An eyewitness said: ‘It kicked off totally out of the blue. Scooby was making a cup of tea when all of a sudden the chairman lunged at him and started wrestling with him. ‘Everybody was shocked. Then the chairman started for Scooby to go outside and do what he was supposed to do, encourage the home fans.
‘Everybody who saw it was stunned and embarrassed.’
Matthew Francis – who has been Scooby Blue for more than 15 years, making him one of the longest-serving mascots in British football – declined to comment.
However, a friend said: ‘He was in a state of shock. He made a formal complaint to the committee but insisted the matter would go no further if action was taken against the chairman. If not, then I believe he was going to raise the matter with the police and the Scottish Football Association.
‘Matthew has been doing this job for a number of years and you don’t expect to be attacked by your own chairman. Opposing fans possibly, but not one of your own.’
Stranraer FC – the third oldest football club north of the Border – last week said on its Facebook page it was investigating ‘an incident’ during the match on November 10.
On Friday the club issued a statement which said: ‘After a full investigation and careful consideration it has been with regret that the club have relieved a committee member of his duties with immediate effect. The club will be making no further comment.’
Mr Connor was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Two years ago Scooby Blue appeared at Stranraer Sheriff Court but was later cleared of sparking a riot at a match.
Mr Francis, of Portpatrick, Wigtownshire, was alleged to have lunged at Ayr fans after police told him to stub out a cigarette. He was said to have been angered at taunts over the ticking-off, ran at the crowd and caused a ‘mass brawl’.
But after a police sergeant admitted in evidence that he duplicated a colleague’s notes, breach of the peace and disorderly behaviour charges were found not proven.